Athletics

Father,
Thank you for the abilities you give me to play my sport.
Jesus, be with me as I play that I might do my best.
Holy Spirit, inspire me as I compete.
May I always play fairly and with respect of my opponents.
Whatever the outcome of this game/race/meet, bless me, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen

Dear Lord,
Please be with us as we prepare for our game/race/meet.
Help us to do our best and to remember the skills we have practiced.
Help us to work together to achieve our goal, whether we win or lose.
Be with our opponents also. They too have worked hard.
Help us to remember to be good teammates
and competitors and keep us safe as we play. Amen
 
Christ the Redeemer…Pray for us! St. Sebastian, Patron Saint of Athletes…Pray for us!

Skill and spirit
Character and comradery
Fortitude and Fun

We're excited to announce Crusader Cross Country (XC) Base Camp. This is also a co-ed sport however boys race against boys (Boys Team) and girls against girls (Girls team) like track and field. HERE is a preseason workout schedule for those wanting to start conditioning before base camp. Contact Coach Leach, andrea.leach@ctrschool.com, with questions.

Please complete the Catholic Schools Office physical form required for participation that is attached here.Only one form per athlete per school year needs to be completed.

Who: All rising 5th to 8th graders who enjoy running
What: Crusader XC Base Camp
When: 7:30 - 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12
Where: Cy-Champ Park - 14619 Cutten Rd (no restroom facilities)
Why: For fitness, for fun, for your school family
 
There will not be an additional charge. Meet Coach Leach by the playground equipment just beyond the main entrance at Cutten and Hargrave Rd.. Any interested parents/guardians and student athletes are encouraged to attend. There will be a short parent meeting at 7:30 a.m before camp begins. Coach Leach will be available to parents at that time. We will discuss the fundamentals of stretching, running form, running pace, breathing, core strength, and the importance of hydration and nutrition. Camp/practices before the first day of school are not mandatory but attendance is strongly encouraged. Team rosters will close on Aug. 21.
 
All participants must have:

• Running shoes (stability sneakers preferred like Asics, Brooks, Saucony; please no converse or court shoes)
• Lightweight socks
• Weather appropriate shirt (avoid 100% cotton)/running shorts (no soffe style shorts allowed please)
• Beach towel for stretching on the ground and core work
• Refillable water jug

Preseason practices will be held Aug. 8 and Aug. 10 same location from 7:15 – 8:30 a.m.

What is Cross Country Running?

Cross Country Running is distance running over varied terrains. It is both an individual and team sport. Runners are working towards personal goals while at the same time working together as a member of the team. There is no experience required to join the team. Middle School is the perfect time to try out different activities. You might just find YOUR SPORT by trying something new.
 
The season will consist of five to six races. Races are usually on Saturday mornings. Practices will be held on Saturdays unless a meet is scheduled. The season race schedule will be distributed before the end of August. Team members are expected to run in addition to scheduled team practices. Running logs will be distributed to facilitate training. Progress will be assessed at practice. Practices are closed to siblings.
 
Races in middle school divisions are between one and two miles. Participation is great conditioning for all athletes. For those participating in other fall sports, like soccer, we are flexible and will work around your schedule.
 
Cross Country Running builds confidence and character, and improves physical fitness. Through the sweat, blisters, and soreness we build team camaraderie, and reveal individual character. Most importantly we recognize each other’s efforts and have some fun!

Preseason workouts:

For those of you who are itching to get started on conditioning, a schedule is attached for the 2 weeks before base camp. It is a good idea to come to camp prepared to run at least a mile without walking.

From Coach Leach: 
These are suggested workouts with adequate rest days scheduled. In the beginning of any season, stretching is an important focus as well as not increasing your total distance too quickly. Easy paced runs are great for shaking off muscle soreness. Parents, please do not allow your runner to run alone. We will always run as a team or have a buddy no matter what distance we are running. It can be fun to run together or you can bike alongside your runner or you can have a predetermined distance that they reach and "switchback" by running back to you and then continuing on. Please keep line of sight the entire workout. Also, stay off the street. The cement is not good for the joints and roads are for cars. Most areas have exercise trails. It is worth it to stick to those trails for safety. I also recommend the Nike+ Run Club App. The icon is black with a lime green Nike swoosh with a + sign. It is free at App Store. These type of Apps help you track distance and pace. I recommend these for parents to use to facilitate their runners training. Your runners will not be allowed to train with the team with their devices.

Christ the Redeemer Catholic School (CtRCS) athletic programs reinforce the overall school’s purpose to foster academic excellence with a love of God and neighbor that inspires and challenges our children to become leaders who proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and action. CtRCS promotes physical wellness as an integral part of the development of the whole Christian person.

Student athletes will be challenged socially to work in team environments as well as challenged individually to develop and attain goals. These experiences will provide opportunities to demonstrate and witness good sportsmanship which is integral to good character. Coaches will work to cultivate both spirit and skill in their student athletes.

Contact:

CtRCS offers a competitive school sports program for our 5th through 7th grade students. For the 2016-17 school year, co-ed soccer and cross country (girls and boys) will be offered in the fall and track and field (girls and boys) will be offered in the spring. With the success and growth of these programs and the school facilities we are hopeful that additional sports will be added in the near future. Sports programs are dependent on student participation. If there is a lack of interest in a sport, then that sport may not be offered in any given school year. CtRCS is a participating member of the Greater Houston Catholic Athletic Association (GHCAA). The GHCAA is an integral part of the educational mission of the Catholic schools of The Archdiocese of Galveston Houston. Read more information in our Athletic Handbook, which will be posted with updates soon.

 Tentative 2017 Schedule:

 
+ This is the Saturday of the Labor Day Holiday Weekend
++ Athletes will be dismissed early from school
* One of these two options will be selected
~Race Time listed is not arrival time to the event location. Additional details will follow    
  closer to the date of each scheduled event.